UncleEarl

During the last 49 days of my sobriety (*big-happy-grin!*), I have had a few experiences of what I call "phantom hangovers" in the morning. It only lasts a minute or two -and it has only happened three or four times- but I have occasionally had to say to myself, "Myself, this is NOT a hangover, you're just tired."

I wonder if my phantom hangovers are a form of Pavlovian "learned helplessness." That is, I've had a hangover virtually every day for the past 25 years, maybe my brain has been conditioned to expect it and, indeed, "miss" it in a twisted way.

Anyone else experience "phantom hangovers?" Any thoughts about it?

Earl

Talluleh

Earl, not sure if this is related but one thing I do find odd is that in the past year or so, the mornings after I didn't drink, no hangover, nothing to be worried about I woke up with the same 'oh god' feeling and still piecing together the night before, it was just easier to piece it together.

Congratulations on 49 days, that is FANTASTIC!

Sammer

I have also experienced this; more so earlier on but I agree...it may be conditioned in us. I have woken up and it has taken me a minute or two to get my bearings and tell myself, you are not hungover...you didn't drink. I believe I was so used to having hangovers that i thought I didn't have them...that I just felt like s*** every day. It sure is nice to realize that you can wake up and feel good about the coming day!!!

CarolD

Well Done on your sobriety!!

Ever see this info?

http://www.tlctx.com/ar_pages/paw_part1.htm

Blessings

wozzek

I used to wake up "drunk", like I was drinking all night before when this wasn't the case. It also took me a minute or two to realize I did not drink, only had been dreaming about drinking...

Crazy stuff...

Debaucher

I am only 29 days in... but I have had that hang-over thing...

Wake up with that dull headache... stomach says you put anything solid down here and I toss it right back out.. feeling... and it takes me until about noon to get out of the fog...

I'm finding the amount of caffein and cigarettes I have in a day contributes to that... the less stimulants I have the better...

BTW... to the guy who dreams of drinking... I have been doing that alot... glad to here I'm not the only one...

I wake up and am like... Crap... why did I ... oh.. it was only a dream...

I also have had the weird dream where I am looking down into a Rock glass with a few 1/2 melted cubes in there and I am just swirling them around... by flipping my wrist a bit... then I wake up... weird...

I am sure these weird dreams will pass...

Hush007

Never heard of those "ghost-hangovers". That sucks!

leviathon

I have had phantom hangovers but it only lasted for a few days after stopping. Sorry to hear yours are ongoing.

lostmdboy

I dream of drinking, and smoking weed a lot. never had the hang over thing though, but unless I completely let loose the night before I would not be hung over when I was drinking. In fact I would get up and work out before I went to work.

Tazman53

I have had a few mornings where I felt hung over, but every time it has been because I was behind on my sleep, unlike a hang over though it passes fairly quickly. I rarely had hangovers any how as long as I avoided wine and mixed drinks.

The dreams I have had a few the last one I dreamed I was in bed and was thinking to myself "Man I hope my wife doesn't notice" I had a half empty fifth of vodka on the floor and an empty glass in my hand! The weirdest part was I was not a vodka drinker if I had beer, usually you get what ever you want in a dream.

barb dwyer

I only had one 'drinking dream' in six, going on seven months ... and that ONE was enough!
Woke up and had the taste in my mouth. Scared me ***tless!
Taz, like you; it was something I wouldn't have been caught dead drinking, either ...
I have no answers, just common experience.
I'm grateful it's only happened the one time. Not that it won't happen again ... once was enough, though.

In so many ways, we are not alone.
Even when we dream.
barb

SaTiT

nope no phantoms... Am i missing sum'in ?


Dreamed i wrap me car around a telephone pole, getting arrested
and all kinds of goodies. They seem so real.

Hush007

This may be off topic, but I just want to tell you Wozzek,... I love that quote:

"Alcohol gave me the wings to fly and then took away the sky"

I don't know why but it brings tears to my eyes.

Beko

Hiya- I get Phantom hangovers - and I wake wondering what I did wrong the night before ... now on day 4 of not drinking I'm starting to get used to the fact that I've not done anything wrong.

They must be due to conditioning and regular remorse or guilty feelings?

No doubt now that I'm not drinking until Christmas eve for charity (then Ill choose another charity and keep going) I will get used to being 'me' and not feeling guilty for text messages or facebook :o)

Dont be hard on yourself tho - It must be our bodies' way of reminding us how important it is to keep off the booze.

Cheers!

Beko

Taking5

I have had drinking dreams followed by phantom hangovers. They were over in a minute or two when I told myself, wait, that was a dream, I cannot be hungover.

IMHO this is our brain playing tricks on us.

PinkClouded

No fake hangover, but tons of body aches and vivid dreams of impending doom. It took about 6 months for it to go away. Having read Carol's post, it makes sense. I wish I'd found this place 2 years ago.

Sara9009

I experienced this for a bit as well. I also felt drunk, completely drunk one night after about a month. I was at the store with DH and I was dropping things, slurring my words. It was a strange experience.

CarolD

Considering this thread is almost 2 years old...
I'm glad the link I gave then still works..

Beko...Welcome to our SR Alcoholism Forum
Congratulations on your new sobriety